(Un)Kill(ed) Bill(s): Ridiculous Reservations and Valuable Children

The Knesset is back in session and bills are being passed. Here is what entered into law last week. Be sure to check out the updated database that is keeping track of bills passed during this Knesset.

Israel Public Broadcasting Bill (amendment no. 7) – Government Bill – 26/4/2017 – The bill delays the opening of the Israeli Public Broadcasting Authority to May 15th 2017 and makes some budgetary changes. But since no one I know cares, let’s focus on the fantastic reservations to the bill on which the opposition forced votes. Most of them involved an attempt to add a “goal of the law” section at the top whose text would include “The goal of the law is to put fear into the heart of the Israeli media”, or “The goal of the law is to waste the money of Israeli taxpayers” (ironic because the MKs took out paid time to vote on that addition), or “The goal of the law is to get rid of free media”. The Knesset everybody! For more on the IPBA issue see here or here.

Israel Public Broadcasting Bill (amendment no. 8) – Government Bill – 10/5/2017 – The law changes the structure of the IPBA. It establishes a separate public broadcasting organization dedicated to news and removes the news function from the soon to be established IPBA. I yearn for the day when I will no longer have to write about this issue.